Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 February 2026
186. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration his plans to introduce a scheme that will support integration in communities that host large numbers of those seeking asylum or refugee status; if he will ensure that, unlike previous schemes, it will be measured to ensure integration occurs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15505/26]
View answer187. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if any evaluation was carried out of the achievement or non-achievement of the integration objectives of the Community Integration Fund; if he will publish those findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15506/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 186 and 187 together.
My Department runs a number of funding schemes to support and enable migrant integration in Ireland.
2025 was the inaugural year of the Integration Fund, which combines the two funds previously known as the International Protection Integration Fund (IPIF) and the Communities Integration Fund (CIF). The purpose of the Integration Fund is to support communities across Ireland to play a greater role in promoting the integration of migrants, with a specific focus on International Protection Applicants for Scheme A. I announced the results of the 2025 Integration Fund in November 2025, with 117 projects awarded €3.6m in funding.
All projects previously funded under the CIF were required to submit final project reports upon completion, along with supporting documentation. These reports were reviewed to assess the performance of the project, whether it met the stated outcomes, and whether the funds were spent as outlined in the original funding application. The CIF was incorporated into the broader Integration Fund in 2025. These projects will submit reports upon the conclusion of their projects; however, these reports are not published.
Separately, the National Integration Fund (NIF) is a multi-annual funding call which supports communities across Ireland to play a greater role in promoting the integration of migrants and is open to organisations operating at regional and national level. NIF 2023 results were announced in April 2024, with 18 projects being awarded grants with a combined total of over €2.8 million over a three-year period.
My Department also manages two EU funding schemes aimed at migrant integration. Firstly, my Department is the managing authority for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF). AMIF provides a range of supports for International Protection applicants, programme refugees, Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection and other third country nationals arriving in Ireland. Since 2023, two open calls for proposals were published for projects suitable for funding under the AMIF 2021-2027 national programme. Arising from these two Open Call for Proposals, €11.5m of grant funding has been awarded to 19 successful projects to provide reception and integration supports and rehabilitative services to third country nationals.
The second EU funding scheme to assist migrants is the Integration and Employment of Migrants action under the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) 2021-2027 programme. This action is aimed at legally resident migrants who are experiencing barriers to participation and employment because of language difficulties, lack of training or social exclusion. A total allocation of €5.4m was assigned to this action for the period 2021-2027, which is now fully committed. In 2022, seven projects were approved total funding of €2.7m for a three-year period. In December 2025, a further eight projects were approved for funding to the value of €2.7m.
Finally, the Programme for Government 2025 provides a commitment to developing a new Migration and Integration Strategy for Ireland, detailing how we intend to meet the demands and the opportunities facing our society and economy over the next decade. Work is well advanced on this project, with a view to the Strategy being launched later this year.
